In conventional embossing and printing systems for plastic cards, one or more drums are used which are provided with a plurality of embossing dies. All of the drums are rotated, so that one of the plurality of embossing dies is selected and is positioned above a region that is to be embossed on the card. The selected embossing die is then pressed onto the card so that the embossing is carried out.
Such embossing systems generally have a number of disadvantages. During the embossing of cards, a large amount of vibration is produced since the weight of the drum is relatively high and this leads to vibrations caused by the positioning and rotation of the drum and also the movement thereof in the direction of the card for the embossing process. Furthermore, due to the size of the drum, it is not possible to utilise the entire width of the card, or else undesirable marks appear on the card due to repositioning using suitable grippers. Furthermore, it is not possible to emboss the entire surface region of the card, since a certain edge width must remain unembossed for transporting the cards through the embossing system.
Plate-type embossing apparatuses are also known from the prior art. For instance, DE 33 30 563 A1 discloses a drive apparatus for an embossing apparatus, in which two embossing dies arranged at a resting distance opposite one another are pressed relative to one another with an embossing pressure against an embossing plate held therebetween. Here, the embossing dies are moved forward by a first drive device relative to one another along the displacement travel, and are subjected to an embossing pressure by a second drive device.
WO 2004/113054 A1 discloses an embossing apparatus for embossing characteristic data into plastic products, in particular containers, wherein at least one embossing die with an embossing unit comprising exchangeable characteristic data units is guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner in a frame of the apparatus. In a raised state of the embossing die, it is possible to feed in the products that are to be embossed and to remove the products that have been embossed, and the embossing is carried out in a lowered state.